Fastener for shirt collars



Oct.l 1l, 1938.

FASTENER FOR SHIRT COLLARS Filed lawn 2o, 19:55

` F. A. wlgGMAN i 2,133,068

Patented o1.11,1938' a gj;-

, i i UNITED STATES FAsrENEa Foa snnvrconmns u l. j Floyd (31ica.go, r1\ll.y` Application March 4zo, 1935,y smal. No. 12,036rk "p4-claims. (crei-'451)AY kThe invention relates generallyfto means Y'for holding laundered articles of wearing apparel,

such as shirts, in foldedposition and relates more particularly to a fastener to `be Vapplied-to a Iper- 5 manently attached collar of a. laundered Shirt.

It is now common practice in commercial laundries to button the top Yor collar button on all collar attached shirts before folding the same in orderV that the collar may be retained in proper position. In all instances, butparticularly when the collar has been heavily starched.- buttoning of the top or collar button-is diiiicultY and tedious Work, it causes wrinkles'in the collar` and makes additionalk hand finishing necessary. kThis all raises the'cost Vof laundering shirts. Vliurther- Y more, it is just as diicult for the user yof the shirt to unbutton the top button as it is to button the same so that in doing so much time islost and frequently results'in a wrinkledand broken down collar or the loss of a button. i'

It is a primary object of this inve forato provide ajnovel and improved fastener for securing the collar of a'laundered shirt in proper position without the necessity'of button-A ing the top or collar button.

' Another object of the invention `isc-to provide` a fastenerof the characterdescribed whichis quickly and'conveniently applied without danger of wrinkling the collar and which isxjustas conveniently and quickly removed.

A further object is to provide a fastener: of the character described which hooks back` of the Vwelt or seamforrned on the edge'ofV thecollar thereby securely grippingthe-collar and preventing accidental release. f i

Yet another obJect is to perfectfa fastener of.

V Ythe character described which is extremelycheap and which is small and so located when attached be employedto support or protect the collar.

Other objects and advantag'escwill become ap-` parent fronrthe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: i Y

invention.

y Fig. 2 is a fastener attached to portions ofa collar, the collar portions beingin section better c to show the manner inwhich the fastener grips the collar.

tener.

ntion; thereas not to interfere with Yother means that `might f Fig. 3 is a full size elevational viewcof the fas- V`intended that the invention is .toV be limited thereby to thespecic shape or construction disclosed a but isinten'ded Ato cover all modifications and f alternativeconstructions falling within theY spirit 10 V*and scope ofthe invention as dened by therappended'claims.,` 1 Y vFor purposes of disclosure, the drawing shows ashirt Shaving a permanently attached collar Y formed by a neckband 6 and an' outer downward- 15 lyV folded portion 1. Such collars are all usually [formed along their edgewithaseam or welt 8 which Vis `slightly vthicker than the remainder of `the portion y`|.V `When laundered and folded as is Vnow the common practice, the collar forms a. V, 420 i with the folds, formed between the tandY s and the'portion 1, extending outwardly and upwardly Yfromv thepoint Ywhere the ends of the collar come together.;The pointed ends of the portion -1, with the collar so folded, slope upwardly from 25 the bosom of the shirt from front to rear, as best seen in Fig.l 4, and even the front portion of the bandV Sis inclined slightly from aperpendicular to the shirt front. f

The fastener comprises a blank II! of relatively 30 `stiff cardboard or other suitable material shaped and slotted to form clamping means for engaging the end edges of the collar to secure the same =against lateral spreading. While the blank may take various shapes, itis here Ashown as generally 35 round wththe top end attened, the blank being symmetrical with respect to agvertical center line thereof. Formed in the'blank onV opposite sides ofthe vertical center line are two apertures II generally oblongmin shape and extending ob- 40 liquelyroutwardly and upwardly. Extending v0bliquely outwardly and upwardly fromv each of the aperturesI'I Vto the edge ofthe blank is a slit I2. Thus the blank I0 is divided into a lower or main portion I3 andan upper or tab portion 45 I4 between which the opposite edges of the collar may be secured. r

' 1 As aresult of the apertures IVI and slits I2 'the Yi lower or main portion I3 may be said to have two oppositely disposed and upwardly extending por- 50 tions I5, each forming one jaw of'a clamping '1 means. The tab I4 likewise has two oppositely disposed and downwardly extendingy portions I6 forming jaws complementary to those formed by .the portions I5. In order furtherto enhance 55 the gripping action of the portions I5 and I6, the apertures II are so formed that the portions, particularly the pprtions I5, terminate in inwardly turned hooks I1. Herein this is obtained by the rounded ends of the apertures I I and by exi-tending the slits I2 from approximately the ends of thej apertures. PreferablyY the apertures Il'are positioned with their longitudinal axis slightly less oblique to the vertical center, line of the blank than the slits i2. The blank may be formed with V notches at the outer ends of thev slits to shorten the same without weakening the remaindernof the blank. 'l i The blarl is attached to the collar by inserting the pcrtions I5 into the fold formed bey the'.

nckband E and the portion 'I while the portions I6: engageAthe foldV on the outsidethereofnsoy as to clamp one end of the collar securely between each set oi jaws formed by the portions I5 and I6.Y The blank is converiientlyand easily attachedto the collar by fleing the tab I4 Yout of the plane or" the @ain portion I3 thereby opening the jaws formed by the portions `I5ahd I6.

When so attachedrthe blank assumes a slightly inclined position and with .the slits I2 extending obliquely outwardly and upwardly the straight edgesformed on the ends of the pgrtions I5 and AIfijby the'slits lie parallel to thelfold 9 of the collar'sothat 4there is god gripping action between the jaw portions the collar. Not only Ais there a rm gripping by theV jaws, but, as best seen in Fig. 2, the hooks I7 engage in yback of the welt and thus so rmly secure the blank as to elinjnate any possibility of accidental re- Inova] thereof. With the blank made oi'fcardbpardy there-is nowdanger that the hooks will pierce or tear the collar. The-oblong apertures II shouldY be of a size arnply toaccornmo-date the welt or seam 8 of thencollar, as best seen in Fig. 2. YThe blank when attached does not vrest jon the bosomof the shirt and thus does not inv -any way supportor distortV the collar, yet it is interfere-vvith other the-'same without lbutton thereby materially reducing the cost of the shirt is `folded, it

positioned thatzit does not blanks that might be applied so smallfand is so te support or protect the collar. c n

f' It is believed apparent from the foregoirrgthat I have provided a simple,'easilyzmanufactured Aand inexpensive clamp which is readily and quicklyattachedrtol a laundered collar ,toy secure buttoriing the top or collar `laundering theshirt andavoiding wrinkling of both in the folding of the shirt and the unfolding thereof b-y the user. Whilel the clamp is advantageous' and may be usedfto secure the'collar regardless qiY tlfiefrnlannerl in which is particularly advantageous when'emp-loyed inthe rr'rethod of and with the machine for: folding vshirts disclosed in my copending application Serial 5No\.745,769, ledSeptember 27, 1934.1: In that Vapplication I disclose a machine for folding a laundered shirt without buttcning any of the buttons except Vthe top one. Thus this clamp, when employed with the method disclosed in my prior application, enables a laundered shirt to be folded and packaged yvithout buttoning a single button. As a result the shirt is'without wrinkles, ig can beput up in a much shortertime and ready to Wear as soon as the packageis removed without rst unbutto'ning the shirt or removing numerous pins. g;

I claim as myenvention: Y l. Ay Vfastener or securing thecollar of a laun dered shirt in closed position without buttoning the same comprising a thin resilient blank hav- ,ing two apertures therein and a slit extending Woutwardly from each aperture ta the edge of the blank defining cooperating hookfjaws unpliant in the plane of the blanki but laterally flexible to permit 'passingY of an en d edge of the collar, having a welt, between the jaws into the aperture and to grip the collar frictionally behind Ythe weh; whenjthe welt Vhas passed into the; aperture'. Y a Y e i 2. VA fastener for securing the collar or a launfdered shirt in closed position without buttoning the same comprising a thin blank having two apertures therein shaped to receive the welt on the edge of a collar and a slit extending outwardlyfrom each aperture to the edge of the blank deninggfor each aperture cooperating hook jawsunpiiant in the plane ofl the blank oneof'said jaws being resilientand laterally riiexible to perinitpassing ofv an end ledge ofthe collar, having A,a welt, between the jaws Yiinto lthe passing of anlend "edge of theecollar, having a i welt, |between the jawsV into the aperture 'and to grip the collar frictionally behind fthe welt vwhenthe'weltfiias passed into'the aperture.V

4. A fastener for securing the collar of a lautrderedr shirt in closed position without buttoning the saine comprising 'a cardboard blank Symmetrical withrespect Y to a vertical centerline having two apertures thereinglarge enough to receive'the welt on the edge ef a-collarand a slit extending obliquely outwardlyand upwardly from each aperture te the edgey of thev blank deining cooperating hook jaws unpliant' in the planeof the blank butlaterally exibleto per# mit passing ofan end edge of theV collar, having a welt', between the :jaws into theiaperture and to grip thelcollar frictionally behindethe .welt when the welt haspassed intor the aperture. s Y FLOYD;.`:'WIEG1\/IAN. 'i 

